Food Blog F.A.Q.s

Did you know I have a FAQ? It’s super extensive, but focused mostly on diet and autoimmune disease. In the food blog game, there are TONS of other questions that crop up frequently, so this post will address those. (I will also add them to the FAQ page, but I wanted to write a post about it to make sure you knew I had a FAQ to add to!)

I keep a FAQ not because I don’t like receiving comments/questions. Your comments let me know that you exist! Otherwise I’m just pumping info into the void, which can be therapeutic, but lonely. Knowing that you guys use and like my recipes is what keeps this blog alive! No, I keep a FAQ because after a point it becomes physically impossible to respond to all comments in a timely fashion. And because we get asked so many of the same questions over and over again, it seems silly to keep anyone waiting for an answer when the answer may already be there on another page or comment. I write this post because I want all of you to know that your comments are seen, if not always responded to right away, and because I want you to find the answer to your questions as quickly as possible, rather than waiting for me to see your comment or e-mail. So without further ado, here are some of the most common questions I encounter on Paleo food blogs. I hope this helps, and feel free to comment with additional questions I should add! 🙂

What are the metric measurements for this recipe that was posted in imperial measurements [or vice versa]?

This is one of those situations where Google can answer much faster than any food blogger can. Just search [amount provided] [unit provided] = [unit you need]. For example, 1 cup = liter. Done.

Is [ingredient] Paleo? or [Sugar/dairy/rice/peas/salt/etc.] isn’t Paleo, so this recipe isn’t Paleo!

If you’re wondering whether or not an ingredient is Paleo, Google it. Mark Sisson, Robb Wolf, Loren Cordain, and Sarah Ballantyne are just a few reliable resources to point you in the right direction. Remember that there are a lot of gray area foods (like dairy, rice, and potatoes) that the science isn’t clear cut on, so many people will include them and many others won’t.

I’m allergic to, can’t find, or don’t have access to an ingredient. What can I replace it with?

In general, recipes are kitchen-tested as-written and substitutions, when they have also been tested, will be noted in the recipe. Cooking fats like coconut oil, lard, tallow, and duck fat are usually interchangeable, as are cold-use fats like olive and avocado oil. Plantains can sometimes be replaced with very green bananas. Coconut flour is very difficult to substitute and will require some experimentation if you need to replace it with another type of flour. Arrowroot powder, kuzu starch, and tapioca are sometimes interchangeable, but you may have to adjust the amount. Liquid sweeteners like honey and maple syrup are usually interchangeable. Unless the author notes substitutions in the recipe, you can assume that you’ll be making substitutions at your own risk.

Same as above, but I need an answer soon because I already started making the recipe!

Sorry, but you’re probably not going to hear back in time. Most of us blog in our free time, and our free time is precious and often far between. Whatever your question is, if you need an immediate answer, you can either Google it or give it your best shot and see how it goes.

You use tilapia? Isn’t tilapia, like, disgusting?

Tilapia and other farmed fish are perfectly acceptable seafood choices, and far better than no seafood at all. Chris Kresser has an excellent article on this here.

How many servings does this recipe yield?

As a general rule of thumb, one serving of meat is 4 ounces and one serving of produce is 1 cup. Some quick math will tell you about how many servings a recipe yields based on the amount of those ingredients included. But since Paleo is composed entirely of whole foods with an emphasis on the foods that are most nutrient-dense, I don’t like to define serving sizes. Eat as much as you want!

What is the calorie/sugar/fat/fructose/etc. count for this recipe?

Unless that count is provided in the post, you can safely assume that the author does not have that information. It takes a lot of time and painstaking effort to generate a relatively accurate nutrient analysis and even then the numbers are ballpark at best, depending on whether or not you use the same ingredients (down to the brand), how fresh your ingredients are, whether or not you change the cooking times or method, whether or not those ingredients are even in the USDA database, and how large you consider a serving. Most people (especially in the Paleosphere) do not use this information, so it isn’t really worth our time to create it. If you want it, you can create your own analysis at Cron-O-Meter or NutritionData.

I’m diabetic. How many grams of sugar are in a serving and can I make this recipe with a low-glycemic non-nutritive sugar substitute if it’s too many?

My thoughts on this question are threefold. 1. If there’s too much sugar in one serving, make your servings smaller (I really hate the idea that any food has a defined serving that should be the same for everyone, who says you need a 2″-thick slice of cake?), and always have desserts with a large meal (high in fat and protein). 2. If you can’t stop at a small serving (even if that serving is only a bite) or if a small serving is still too much sugar, you probably shouldn’t be considering sweets in the first place. Consider a 21-Day Sugar Detox or something else to help you get over cravings. 3. Maybe for you the health risks associated with sugar substitutes compared to nutritive, Paleo sugars are acceptable. That’s your choice to make and that’s totally fine. But don’t expect a Paleo blog to openly endorse sugar substitutes. And if you struggle with sugar addiction and cravings, a non-nutritive sugar–anything at all that tastes sweet–is still going to feed the problem. Personally, all of my treats are fruit-based and restricted to small servings.

Can I make this [roast or soup] in a crock pot?

Yes. Here are some tips for converting recipes to crock pot recipes.

Can I freeze this?

Probably. Let it thaw for a day in the fridge before reheating it (if needed) on the stove, in the oven, or in the microwave.

Wait, don’t microwaves destroy the nutrients in foods?

There is no scientific evidence to suggest that microwaves are any more detrimental than any other cooking method. In fact, some foods retain more nutrients when cooked in the microwave due to the shorter cooking time required.

I am struggling with my health. Here is a paragraph or two about what I’ve been through and what I am currently dealing with. Do you have any advice?

Unlicensed individuals (such as myself) would be putting themselves at serious risk of being sued by answering these questions. The answer will always be “you need to talk to your healthcare provider about this, and if you don’t have one, here are some resources to help you find one (I recommend ThePaleoMom Consulting or PrimalDocs)”. We sympathize because we’ve been there too, but we food bloggers really can’t answer those questions!

I’m having trouble receiving e-mails from you, like purchase confirmations or your newsletter.

Have you checked your spam folder? Are you sure the e-mail was delivered to the correct address and have you checked your other e-mail addresses just in case? If you haven’t subscribed to the newsletter yet, you can sign up via the pop-up that opens on my site after a few seconds (if you’ve already seen and closed this window, just clear your browser’s cookies to get it to show up again). You will receive a confirmation e-mail within 24 hours.  Be sure to check your spam folder! Once you receive the e-mail, be sure to click the link in it to confirm your subscription. If you can’t find it, try subscribing again. If it tells you you are already subscribed but you haven’t received the latest newsletter, then leave a comment or send an e-mail asking for troubleshooting.

I’m having trouble downloading your e-book or other file or opening a page on your site.

Have you reset your browser cookies and emptied your cache? Have you tried another browser? If you are using a mobile or tablet, can you try from a computer instead? Is your device/app up to date? Do you need to restart your device? Have you Googled your problem (for example, “wordpress blog displays a black screen on iPhone 5” or “Samsung tablet won’t download PDF files”) to see if there is support available for your particular device? Please try all of the above and then, if you still need help, e-mail us with the details of what you’ve tried with as many specifics about your problem as you can provide (including what devices and apps you’ve used and what precise error you are encountering). Having to go back and forth to get the details is time-consuming for both of us, and this is assuming we can even help. If everything is working on our end and the problem is with your device or ISP, we can offer advice, but may not have the solution. Your device or app’s support or your internet service provider should be able to help.

Is your website down? or I’m having trouble accessing your site.

Visit this page to find out whether or not the website is down. If the site tells you that it’s down for everyone, we’re probably already working on it. If it’s down for just you, see the suggestions in the question above.